Adjustable beam clamp



Sept. 9, 195 r H. L. KlNDORF EI'AL ADJUSTABLE BEAM CLAMP Filed Aug. 1. 1949 INVENTORS HARRY L. K/IVDORF Lg HLA/V 6. Kl/VDORF ATTORNEY *Patented Sept. 9, 1952 ADJUSTABLE BEAM CLAMP I L Harry L. Kindorf and Orlan 1C. Kindorf, San Francisco,.Cali f., assignors tq'l he Kindorf Co.,.

San Francisco. Calif., a corporation of Cali-- fornia Application August 1, 1949, Serial No. 107,993

' (o1. 2 4-j24s) 3 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to adjustable beam clamps and particularly to a device to be clamped onto a structural beam to form a support for conduits, wires and other apparatus as is customary practice in ships, industrial buildings and the like. i p

The principal object of the invention is to provide aclamp of this kind that will securely engage a portion of a structural beam and be secured theretoby clamping bolts and that is adjustable with respect to beam sizes in increments less than the diameter of the'bolts by which it is secured.

The following disclosure shows the clamp applied to the flange of a beam such as an angle or'channel shape but it is as readily applicable to other shapes as will appear from the following description in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a'beam clamp embodying the present invention shown in place on the flange of an angle.

Fig. 2 is a plan view with parts in section of the same clamp.

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the same clamp.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating the relationship of certain parts of the clamp in one position.

Fig. 5 is a view like Fig. 4 showing the same parts in different positions, and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner in which the holes are layed out in the clamp parts shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, of the drawings show the clamp of the present invention secured in place on the flange of an angle In. The clamp comprises a body part H made of flat bar stock with an upturned end I2 engageable with one part of the angle. A clip 13 made of material similar to that of the body part II is shaped to overlie the flange of the angle l and to overlie a part of the body part II. Both the part II and the clip l3 are perforated for the reception of bolts which extend through them for drawing them toward each other and for securely clamping between them the flange of the angle to prevent displacement of the clamp with respect to the angle. One of the securing bolts is shown at l as a conventional bolt and the other shown at I6 is preferably in the form of a long threaded rod with two nuts I! and I8 thereon capable of being adjusted to draw the clamping parts together against the flange of the angle. The downwardly extending part of the rod I6 is adapted together the clamp parts must be fairly large in 10.

diameter to accommodate the loads sustained by the clamp and to impart the pressurerequired for clamping it to the beam. The required adjustment could be accomplished by .the provision of an elongated slot in the clamp part II. and two simple bolt holes in, the clip [3. However, with such a structure, the clamping parts could slide longitudinally of each other if, due to vibration or. other causes, the bolts should become loose.

The present invention provides adjustment of the separable clamp parts in increments smaller than the diameter of the bolts but with positive insurance against longitudinal sliding movement of the clamp parts. This is accomplished by providing an elongated slot 20 in the part II that is irregular in shape, being defined by a plurality of overlapping circles with their centers on a straight line. The clip [3 is provided with a pair of spaced holes 2|, each produced in effect by two overlapping circles, the centers of all of the circles again being struck from a straight line. For example, Fig. 6 illustrates diagrammatically the manner in which the slot 20 and the holes 2| have been laid out and shows that the aligned overlapping circles forming the slot 20 are struck from centers spaced apart a distance L, this distance being slightly less than the diameter of the circles. The two circles which form each of the holes 2| in the part [3 are spaced apart one-half the distance L, the outermost circles of the two holes being three times L apart whereby these circles will register with the first and fourth circles in the group 20. The innermost circles which form the two holes 2| are spaced two Ls apart for registry with the first and third circles in the slot 20 when the-parts H and [3 are adjusted with relation to each other.

The effect obtained by this arrangement of holes and slots is that illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 wherein adjustment of the clamp parts is shown to be possible in increments which are one-half the distance L or slightly less than half of the diameter of the bolts l5 and I6. For example, in Fig. 4 the bolt I6 is passed through the third occupy the outer ends of the holes 2| rather thanthe inner ends. The next step to the right would be accomplished by moving the bolt I5 a full space into fourth position and moving the clip: I3

2. half space. Through similar procedure, a'wide range of adjustment of very small increment is,

obtained. As the circles, which form the slots 20 and the holes 2I, are the same diameter .as the bolts, tolerances for ease of assembly being allowed, the bolts are held against sliding movement longitudinally of the clamp part I I and the clip: I3 isrheld against tsuchamovement' with respec't: t'o'athe:boltsiin either the .position' shown in Fig. 4 or .iIliFig. 5. :z .(3onsequently.2relativemovement of the parts' I'IYandLIB. isprohibited in the event they. tend tolslipiwith. relation 'to each 'other F 1 due: to vibration. onfother; causes.

#For:practicahpurposemtht distance hfof Fig, 6

v'may z be. "the diameter of lithe bolts I 5' and Is and :rtha'circular .ope'nings' are.isufli'ciently largenthan L 1: to provide: :desirableiclearance.. In :practica' T thereforacztheincrements fof adjustability would be measure'dsasonehalf the Weclaim:

bolt diameter.

' 1..An'.adjusta'b1'e beam cIampJhaVin'gseparable zpartslengageable with opposite -sides of a beam .zflangekabolts .sadapted- -to extend" through said -partsfor clampin'ghthem to the'flanga and both "said :parts: havingperforations to receive said bolts, the perforations on each part being formed 4 in patterns of overlapping circles to provide a wide range of adjustability in small increments of the parts in their relative positions.

2. An adjustable beam clamp having an L- shaped part to engage and underly the flange of a beam with a. portion extending beyond the edge a of the flange, aclampingpart overlying said portion and the beam flange; two bolts "extending through the L-shaped part and clamping part to -'clamp the beam between them, and perforations the L.-shaped part and clamping part, said perforations in each part being formed in patterns-of-over-lying circles to permit relative adfiust-ment of :saidparts to accommodate beam "fiangesofdifferent sizes in increments less than the diameter of the bolts.

- 3'. In abeam-cl'amp or the like, two relatively flat members and bolts extending through them to clamp them upon an object, one of said members having an elongated perforation formed in the -pattern of a series- 0f alined overlapping circles of a diameter to receive' the 'b'olts and' the other' -membei having -two spaced elongated bolt perforationswhereby"-the members maybe adjustedlor'igitudinally ofeach other in increments of less than the bolt diameter.

I HARRY KINDORF. ORLAN CJKINDORF.

I :iREEERENCESiCITED The following references"areofrecord" inthe file *ofthis patent:

UNITED- STATES PATENTS Number 1 Name i Date l;211';997 Ahlander IJan3 9,2191? 1,567,216 :Stockton Sept;, 2,81924 2,460,470 Rogers -JLFeb. 1, 1949 

